Skokie public works aims for nearly 700 lead‑service replacements and starts 10,000‑ft water‑main assessment
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Summary
Public works staff told trustees the village will ramp up lead‑service line replacements (target ~688), add staff and equipment for in‑house crews, replace water mains (1.7 miles planned) and begin a 10,000‑foot transmission‑main assessment as part of a multi‑year infrastructure program.
Public works officials detailed a multi‑year infrastructure push for FY27 that prioritizes lead‑service line replacements, water‑main assessments and street resurfacing.
The department said it completed 216 lead service line changeouts in the prior year and plans to scale up operations with additional staff and equipment. "We're hoping to get that 688 number," a public works speaker said, describing plans to use a mix of in‑house crews and contracted work to accelerate replacements.
Staff also said they will replace about 1.7 miles of water main in conjunction with contracted portions of the lead‑service program and that the village is initiating a 10,000‑foot transmission‑main assessment to evaluate critical segments and prioritize rehabilitation over multiple years. The engineering director said the first 10,000‑foot pass targets the most concerning segments identified after a February line failure and that the village has budgeted roughly $1.5 million per year in out‑years to address identified deficiencies.
Public works described near‑term resurfacing (about 3 miles planned in FY27), continued expansion of electric vehicles in the municipal fleet (33 EVs currently, 70% of the light‑duty fleet including hybrids by year‑end), and a telematics pilot for live fleet tracking of snowplows and refuse trucks.
Trustees asked about funding and pace of rehabilitation once issues are identified; staff said assessments will guide CIP additions and that rehabilitation will be budgeted in subsequent years as costs and priorities become clear.
Next steps: multi‑year assessments and CIP entries will be refined as the village receives assessment results and pursues grant partnerships for larger capital work.
